Wheel rim and attachment therefor



April 19,1927.

A. 1 PUTNAM WHEEL RIM AND ATTACHMENT THEREEOE Filed .June 14, 192.6

I I 4 waewboc /ZcZew AFM/2am vals Patented Apr. 19,19'27. Y,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PUTNAM,v 0E DETROIT, MICHIGAN, lAssIGNoR To WHITEHEAD a xALEs CoM- PANY, or nETnoIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 'or MICHIGAN.

WHEEL BIM AND ATTACHMEN/T THEREEOR.

Applieationled J'un'e 14,1926. Serial No. 115 993.`

i The invention relates to vehicle wheels and refers more' particularly -to vehicle wheelv rims whicl're designed to carry pneumatic tires. One of the obJects ofthe invention 1s to provide an improved construction of wheel rim having an elongated opening for receiving the valve 'stem of a pneumatic tire so arranged that the rimlmay be continuous at both ends of the opening and the tire may be readily applied or removed. Another object is to provide a shield at the inner side of the rim for protecting the valve stem and-preventing dirt or the ike entering the opening in the rim. Further objects of the invention reside inthe novel'features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth. l

In the drawings l Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a vehicle wheel embodying my invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross'sections, respectively, on the lines 2--2 and vfi-Svof Fig- ,ure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3. p

The body of the vehicle wheel, as shown in the present instance, has the metal spokes'l, the inner ends of which abut and are `secured to each other to form the hub portion 2 of the body and the outer ends of which abut and are secured to the rolled metal rim 3. Thisrim has the base 4 with the permanent annular tire retaining flange 5 at its inner edge and the permanent annular flange 6 at its outer edge. The flange 6 terminatesl pref-` erably Within the extension of the outer face of the base4 and serves to retain the detachable tire retaining flange 7 'having a tongue portion engageable 1n`the annular roove 8 located laterally adjacent the ange 6.

For the urpose of readily applying and removing t e pneumatic tire 9, the valve stem 10 of the tube is of the angle type hav-` ing the transverse portion 11 extending substantially parallel to the base 4of the rim atits inner side and laterally toward, the

openingQO for the passage of the outer end of the valve stem 10. As shown, the opening 20 is formed by slotting the portion of the rim below the annular flange 6 and the outer en d of the shield terminates at a point such that the radiallyy inwardly extending portion of the valve stem extends between and inthe plane of the adjacent spokes.

, To assemble4 the pneumatic tire. upon the rim 3, the end portion 12 of 'the' valve stem 10 is lfirst inserted into the opening 13 of the Vrim with the tire tilted at an angle to the rim. The tire may then be moved laterally inward over the rim base and the, de-

tachable. tire retaining-flange 7 inserted into the annulargroove 8, after which the tube 'f' may be inflated. To remove the tire, the tube is first deflated and the casing forced laterally inward a sufiicient distance t'o disengage the detachable tire retaining flange 7 from the rim, after which the portion of the tire opposite the -valve stem may be tilted laterally from -the rim and the tire removed from the rim ,by a movement of the tire in a direction to draw the valve stem inwardly and away'from the portion of the base of .the rim Vhaving the opening 13.-

Fdrcm` the above description it will be rea 1 for which is so arranged that the tire may be readily appliedto or removed from the rim and the valve stem is protected and 'at lthe same time dirt or the like is prevented from entering the opening in the riln for receiving the valve stem. Itl will also be seen that access may be readily had to the end of the valve stem for inflatmg or deflating the tube. Furthermore, it will be seen that the construction is such that 'it obviates the necessity of making a slot'lthrough the outer edge of the rim for receiving the valve stem.4

UWhat I claim as-m invention is:

1. In a vehicle w eel, the Combination seen that I lhave provided a construct1on of Wheel rim and attachment therewith` the wheel body, of a continuousrn/Hu upon said wheel body for receiving a pneumatic tire, said rim having a permanent annular tire retaining flange at one edge and a permanent annular flange at the other edge f'or engagement with a detachable tire retaining flange and also having an elongated opening extending transversely between said first mentioned flanges for receiving the valve sfemrof the tire and a channel-shaped shield secured to the inner side of said rim for protecting the valve stem, said shield having an innerclosed end and also having an outer end provided with a lateral opening, said rim also provided with a lateral opening spaced substantially below the permanent annular flange -aforcsaidand registering with the opening in said shield for permitting passage of the end portion of the valve stem fron'rtlie space inclosed by said shield and rim.

Langer/r 2. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination with a Wheel body, of a continuous rim upon said body for receiving a pneumatic tire7 said rim having an annular tire retaining flange'at one edge and an annular flange at the other edge and also having an elongated opening extending transversely between said flanges for receiving the valve stein of the tire and a shield at the inner side of said rim for protecting the valve stem, having an opening in-oneV end thereof, Said rim also having a lateral opening spaced below the annular flange aforesaid and registering with the lateral opening in said shield permitting passage of the end portion of the valve stein from the space inclosed by said shield and rim.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

ALBEN L. PUTNAM. 

